Monday, July 17, 2006

Nebraska Right to Life must have decided that they were tired of giving their endorsement to everyone who took pro-life positions. Instead when an incumbent in a race is pro-life, then he or she gets the endorsement, no matter what position or voting history the challenger has.

NRL first did this in the governor’s race endorsing incumbent Governor Dave Heineman, to the pique of Rep. Tom Osborne who had a very strong pro-life voting record in the House. Now NRL has given their endorsement to Senator Earl Ben Nelson (Nelson receives sole endorsement by Nebraska Right to Life– OWH – 7/15/06). They’ve said this is a reward to Nelson for his support of Justices Alito and Roberts, etc.

Granted, Nelson has a pretty solid voting pro-life voting record in the Senate. Nonetheless, their endorsement is one of the more short-sighted positions they could have taken.

And Leavenworth is going to keep delivering this message until Nebraska conservatives and Republicans get it: Ben Nelson will support the Democrat majority in the Senate. It is not unlikely that he could be the difference in a 51-49 Democrat majority. If it doesn’t happen in the 2006 cycle, it very well could in 2008. And should the Dems take over the Senate there would not BE any votes on an Alito or a Roberts because they would not make it out of committee.

All of Nelson’s other positions take a back seat to the fact that he would support a Democrat controlled Senate. That’s why Democrats can stomach his candidacy and his positions that are almost diametrically opposed to their platform.

And that is the main reason that conservatives and Republicans and Pro-Lifers should oppose him.

Let's see if you can follow this: NRL is a conservative group. They would like to see their conservative positions flourish. A Republican Senate will let that happen. A Democratic Senate will not. Therefore, NRL should be using their clout to elect a Republican Senate. It’s not difficult.

Street sweeper- I want proof Ben nelson would vote with a democratic majority. are you saying that his position would change (on, for example, judges)depending on who is in power? He votes how the majority of NE "folks" want him to vote...with Republican ideals.

"Let's see if you can follow this: NRL is a conservative group. They would like to see their conservative positions flourish. A Republican Senate will let that happen. A Democratic Senate will not. Therefore, NRL should be using their clout to elect a Republican Senate. It’s not difficult."

Folks, it seems that NRL's policy is to endorse incumbents who agree with the NRL platform. This would explain NRL's endorsement of Heineman over TO. If NRL agrees that Nelson's voting record fits the NRL platform, there you have it. I am not saying supporting the incumbent is the best policy, but what NRL does internally is their business, and it may or may not be in the big-picture interests of the movement.

If the NRL’s endorsement is to mean anything, then it should be for the long range view of its position. If they kept that endorsement to themselves that’s one thing. However, by publicizing it, they send that endorsement out to every pro-life minded voter who should keep in mind what the election of that candidate means. Let’s not pretend we’re in a vacuum here.

At least, Street Sweeper is being more up-front about his one-sided political agenda lately. With this post, he finally flat out states this site's entire reason for being:

Leavenworth is going to keep delivering this message until Nebraska conservatives and Republicans get it: Ben Nelson will support the Democrat majority in the Senate.

Damn...sure sounds like a sounding board for the Ricketts campagin to me. After all, you folks use the same shallow and insulting fear-mongering as your only real message.

Where's the bit about Nebraska Right to Life endorsing Teddy Kennedy as Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee and Hillary Clinton for President? Or, were you saving that predictable load of BS for Pete's church mailings?

Kyle, shouldn’t you be deciding whether to sign you latest love letter to Dave Hahn with a heart or an XXX OOO?

As long as the only story in the news is on the Ricketts-Nelson race, that’s what we’ll comment on. (And we’ve noticed that the word “Democrat” is conspicuously absent from any descriptions on your site. Why then you MUST be independent!) And we WILL keep telling everyone that Nelson is a Democrat, because everyone seems to want to deny that.

When the Nelson and the Dems admit that Nelson would support a Democrat majority in the Senate, then we’ll stop posting about it. It’s cute that you Dems hope to slip that by everyone on the way to the polls, but the reality is that that is the ONLY reason the majority of your party is willing to hold their nose and vote for the guy.

Now go out and get your self another bag of softballs to toss Dave Hahn.

SS - talk to your boss and see if I can have 15-20 minutes to interview Mr. Ricketts. I'm sure you can't schedule these sorts of things yourself, but consider it an open invitation and get back to me when you guys have made a decision. Thanks!

Talking to my boss would get only a confused look. But feel free to send a line to Jessica Moenning. I'm sure your references to her as the "Wicked Witch" or a possible "sweet girl" will get you right in the door. There's your invitation. (And we won't tell Mr. Hahn. It'll be our little secret.)

If you want decent political commentary with writing skills above the 5th grade level go check out, http://www.newnebraska.blogspot.com. This is a real Nebraska Politics blog that is honest and not afraid to address both sides of the issue.

I wish I could say the same thing for this blog that is ran by the Pete Ricketts for Senate campaign.

Just so you know, we debated about publishing the comment above. This section isn't for you to post your favorites sites for others to link to. You can do it on your NDP blog or whereever else it is you spend your time. If someone wants to go to that site, all they have to do is click on his name in the comments section.

Now, all that being said, suggesting that Kyle's site is "balanced" is the funniest thing you uber-serious kids have written in some time. And it’s a heck of a lot funnier than that insipid Dr. Seuss ad. Oh but your boy Kyle covered that (the Ricketts shill!!!).

And why is it you’re so intent on declaring that this site supports one candidate or party over another? Our point of view is obvious to anyone who reads it. And if you can actually get us money for taking that view, we are willing to talk.

I checked out the "New Nebraska" site...balanced? Yeah, as balanced as CNN. That site is nauseating and is obviously a “New Dem” site. Everyone just pisses and moans about Bush and the Republicans while slobbering all over Ben Nelson. I invite you to email links to posts at the “New Dem” site, or any other site for that matter, that will show me a real answer to a real problem, not some dreamy, LSD/THC-laiden fantasy where every person gets the house, car and income he or she wants just because he or she wants it.